Hyderabad: With major temples in two Telugu states attracting huge crowds during festivals, auspicious days and events like Brahmotsavams, the temple managements have been facing a gigantic task in handling a large number of devotees and taking care of tasks such as prasadam distribution and sales, Annadana programmes and others.
In those tough times, the Chirala-based Bramarambika Seva Samiti, popularly known as Bramari Sena, with its 20,000 volunteers spread across the Telugu states, has been coming to the rescue of these temples.
The initiative was launched by M.V.S. Mahalaxmi at Srisailam temple in 2016-17, who first came forward with 10 devotees to assist temples. The same year, during the Shivaratri, which attracts lakhs of devotees, she was requested to depute at least 100 volunteers.
It was a last-minute call and with hardly any time left to mobilise people, Mahalaxmi rushed to Bhajana Sangalu (devotional bhajan groups) and sent 150 volunteers to Srisailam.
This incident has led her to set up Bramarambika Seva Samithi in the name of the presiding deity of Srisailam temple. She got calls from almost all the major temples in the state, including Bhadrachalam Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy temple, Mangalagiri Narasimha Swamy temple, Yadagirigutta Laxmi Narasimha Swamy temple, Basara Sri Saraswati temple, Vemulawada Raja Rajeshwara Swamy temple, Balkampet Yellamma temple, Srikalahasti Gnana Prasunambika Vayulingeshwara Swamy temple and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam.
Mahalaxmi told Deccan Chronicle that a number of people with spiritual and devotional inclinations joined with her in the effort.
Explaining how she handleds deputing volunteers, Mahalaxmi said that she had created social media groups and deputes the volunteers for various needs of temples in their respective areas. The executive officers of temples have also been seeking the services of the samiti in hundi counting, Anna Prasada distribution, organising health camps and keeping temples clean during major festivals.
The helping hands wing of the samiti assists senior citizens and sick persons get smooth darshan. Besides queue line maintenance, the volunteers also provide drinking water and carry out tree plantation programmes on the temple land.
Stating that the samiti had deputed 300 volunteers at Sri Venkateshwara Swamy temple at Chikkadpally for Vaikunta Ekadasi on Friday, which attracted over one lakh devotees, Mahalaxmi said the volunteers maintain a dress code and fill up a form which is having several do’s and don’ts before engaging them in the service.
Almost all the major temple committees have given a number of appreciation letters recognising the service rendered by the samiti. The Srisailam temple authorities have even allotted land to samiti for the construction of a choultry and service center in the holy city.
